Chapter 02 : The Daughter Returned from Hell
“Thank you for the food!”
The child maid shouted joyously in the shabby inn room.
Uni, the starving child, started eating before the young lady. Rena watched her for a moment before turning her head towards the figure at the side of the room.
“Thank you for taking care of us like this, Mr. Lynn.”
The one Rena greeted was the owner of this cramped room.
It was the young man who had helped Rena and Uni just a moment ago, Lynn. He was sitting cross-legged on the old sofa, watching the two with an awkward face.
“… I truly didn’t expect that you’d really follow me.”
”Yes?”
When Lynn implied that she was being absurd, Rena asked back in surprise.
“You told me to follow you if I have nowhere to go.”
“Even so, to just follow someone you don’t know…”
“We’ve mutually introduced ourselves…”
“You can’t know someone’s background when you’ve only known their name…”
The two’s expressions were baffled at the other’s belief, which was far from their own.
Just as Rena had said, Lynn had been the one who had told her to follow along. He couldn’t leave the girls who were almost kidnapped alone, and he couldn’t entrust them to the guards who didn’t do their job properly, moreover, it was getting dark, so he told them to come along.
Nevertheless, he was made bewildered by Rena, who had actually followed him. To top it all, he was currently staying at an inn, not a regular house.
Rena’s expression crumbled as if the sky was falling apart when Lynn made a look of uncertainty.
“If you’re asking me to leave again…”
”No, it’s not like that.”
As Rena was on the verge of tears, Lynn hurriedly waved his hand.
“I’m only saying that it was unexpected. Don’t feel uncomfortable.”
“You made it uncomfortable, then you say don’t feel uncomfortable.”
“Uni, shh.”
Although her babbles were restrained by her lady, Uni did not give in, but chewed the bread and glared at Lynn instead.
With logical reasoning, Lynn gave in tacitly and switched the subject.
“You said you’re the daughter of Marquis Ruber?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve never heard that the marquis had a daughter.”
Rena faltered and put the bread down as Lynn spoke like she just understood something. Then she laughed with a pained expression.
“That’s officially true, but the people who knew that the family also has a daughter will know.”
Lynn narrowed his eyebrows at Rena’s revelation.
‘Does that mean she’s an unofficial child that was born out of wedlock?’
Why did such a daughter appear at this time? Lynn thought it was strange, and asked.
“Then why are you by yourself? Did the marquis not send anybody?”
“That, Father doesn’t know that I’m coming.”
Rena’s answer left Lynn speechless.
A daughter who was not a normal daughter, but one that was born out of wedlock, was going to visit her father even though he didn’t call for her? And at this time?
Lynn was confused about whether he understood the whole situation correctly.
“The marquess didn’t tell you to come, but you’re still going to see him?”
“Yes.”
“Who gave you permission?”
“Permission?”
Rena blinked at the word permission. She didn’t know why she needed permission.
Thanks to that, Lynn was distressed. It was not known whether the miss of the marquess’ family in front of him was real or fake, but one thing was certain.
This young lady was naïve beyond measure.
It was obvious that if she went straight to the front door this way, she’ll get beaten. No, she’d be lucky if she was only beaten. The marquess might try to bury her, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Lynn felt unresolved and asked again.
“Do you know where the marquess is now?”
“He should be at the Imperial Palace, seeing that it will be Founding Day soon.”
“Then where are you going now?”
“To the Imperial Palace, of course.”
Lynn felt like fainting at Rena’s simple answer.
“… What do you think about going back home?”
“Huh?”
“Even if you’re doing well, I feel sorry for that kid.”
“Ah?”
Uni raised her head with a spoon in her mouth when she was brought into the conversation.
At her innocent look, Lynn spoke with resolve.
“I don’t know your circumstances, but the capital is far worse than here. Even if you manage to reach the Imperial Palace by luck, there’s no guarantee that the marquess will see you, and the Imperial Palace is… not a friendly place. The same thing could happen again there.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry too much. Have I not been doing well so far?”
“You mean trusting someone to lead you to a remote place?”
“Not like that, but I think it will be okay. No matter how evil the society is, there are more kindhearted people than bad people.”
“It’s even more dangerous if you’re the one asking for help.”
“Even more dangerous?”
“You’re too eye-catching.”
Rena tilted her head, with a face that showed that she was not aware of anything. So, Lynn contemplated for a moment, before saying straightforwardly.
“You’re pretty.”
“Ah…”
Rena’s cheeks blushed at the frank comment, but Lynn wasn’t trying to praise her beauty.
“Because of that, you’ll easily attract attention, become a target, and then sold at a high price.”
Lynn’s voice was still and quiet as before. However, Rena’s eyes shook at his bitter expression, especially when he said ‘sold at a high price’.
But then, Lynn spoke without hesitation.
“Some people will ask for payment in exchange for their assistance.”
He said ‘payment’ for assistance, but still, he thought he was being too hasty. He couldn’t say that they would want her body in exchange when a child was listening nearby.
However, Rena seemed to have understood it properly. Rena thought about it with a pale face, then looked at Lynn, and asked.
“Then, Mr. Lynn, are you going to ask me for payment?”
“No.”
Lynn firmly denied, but it was not enough. Rena was already scared.
‘’It has come to this.’
Lynn regretted it too late.
He was being inconsiderate. He was a stranger to the lady, but he couldn’t block his words and she had even followed him to the inn.
Lynn was about to deny but stopped himself.
She was already wary, it would be useless to deny it. Still, if left like this, it seemed like it would become uncomfortable for the whole night.
Lynn contemplated, then got up from the sofa.
Rena seemed to be surprised, but he approached her calmly and pretended not to notice. Then he untied the dagger from his waist and put it on the table where Rena was sitting.
“This is…?”
“A safety device.”
Rena’s eyes rounded at the unexpected words. Rena was staring at it when Lynn added.
“Use it when you need it.”
“… How?”
“If I get too close, stab me.”
Lynn answered clearly and sat back on the sofa.
In a moment of confusion, Rena kept switching her gaze to the dagger she had received and to Lynn, who was keeping his distance.
A smile gradually spread to the mouth of the nervous lady. Lynn felt relieved only after confirming that her fearful appearance had also faded.
Rena, who was laughing quietly, said softly.
“Mr. Lynn is the same.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Pretty.”
Lynn’s expression turned peculiar, but Rena did not give up.
“Mr. Lynn is also pretty.”
“How…”
Lynn’s words stopped short. Why did the word ‘pretty’ come out so abruptly?
Lynn looked at her as if witnessing something outrageous, however, Rena’s eyes were still as innocent as before.
‘By any chance, is she mentally slow?’
Lynn thought about it casually but was appalled all the same because his guess made too much sense. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be possible for a grown woman to be so naïve without knowing the world.
Lynn’s eyes shook from the grave hypothesis.
Rena, however, seemed to not know of Lynn’s thoughts and was completely unaware regarding her own circumstances, and only laughed instead.
.
.
.
It was already night by the time Rena and Uni finished eating.
As it got darker outside, Lynn shed off his cloak and said.
“I’ll sleep on the sofa, you guys sleep on the bed.”
“Won’t you feel uncomfortable?”
The voice filled with concern was heard, but Lynn did not look back.
It was because Rena was in white sleepwear.
It was a long-sleeved one, but Lynn felt uncomfortable looking at it. So, pretending not to notice, he dimmed the light and stretched out his feet on the sofa.
Rena and Uni also rustled into the bed as the room darkened.
After some time, Rena whispered in the dark.
“Mr. Lynn, are you asleep?”
Lynn didn’t answer, but Rena kept whispering.
“I’m really grateful for today.”
“… It’s all right.”
“I was a little surprised. This is the first time I’ve ever gotten help without having to pay in return.”
Lynn stopped himself from answering casually the moment he became aware of the cold weight behind Rena’s confession.
If this was your first time getting help without having to pay in return, then had you been helped at a cost so far?
“There were many people who approached me all the while thinking I was naïve, but those people were truly the naïve ones.”
The voice was composed.
When Lynn was silent, Rena changed her voice into a whisper.
“Moreover, Mr. Lynn, it’s dangerous to just help anyone like this.”
“It’s not the time to worry about me…”
“Mr. Lynn is a very pretty person.”
Rena smiled and whispered, and Lynn eventually burst into laughter.
As Lynn laughed, Rena asked in a gentler tone.
“What is Mr. Lynn doing?”
“Nothing special, just a bit of this and that.”
“It seems like you’ve been staying here for a while. Are you on your way to the capital?”
Rena’s guess was correct. It was not hard to reach this speculation as this city was the entrance to the capital.
Lynn didn’t answer but drew an implicit line instead.
“I’m telling you beforehand, I can’t bring you along.”
“Since you’re going to the capital… You don’t need to bring me along, we’re heading in the same direction anyway.”
It seemed like she was going to follow him on her own accord. Lynn forced down a wry smile with strong determination.
“I apologize, but I still have some business left to do here.”
“Business?”
“… It’s getting late. You must be tired. Let’s call it a day and go to sleep.”
Lynn was put in a somewhat awkward situation. Unable to reveal his identity, he stopped talking in a haste.
As the conversation ended, the night was once again quiet.
.
.
.
Deep into the night, Rena, who had fallen into a light sleep, opened her eyes to the sound of someone’s presence.
“Shh.”
A man was looking down at her. It was Lynn.
Rena looked at him, who had come closer in the dark, and asked quietly.
“Do I stab now?”
“… No.”
As Rena took the dagger beside her pillow, Lynn quickly denied it.
“Hide under the bed.”
As soon as Lynn spoke, a creaking sound came from the outside.
Sounds of footsteps on the hardwood outside the corridor were heard.
“Hurry.”
Lynn urged Rena and Uni, who was still asleep, to go under the bed.
Then, the door flung open abruptly.
“Where are you, you…!”
A shouting voice was heard and then cut off midway as soon as the sound of a blunt object hitting something echoed.
Clang-tang. Thunk. Crunch. Clatter.
Upon the opening door, Lynn charged at the people who were coming in at night.
“Stop it, you little bastard! Before you start a fire!”
The room suddenly became bright. It seemed like the lamp that had been hidden before must have been turned on in a hurry.
The identity of the evening guests revealed by the light was just as expected. They were the scoundrels who had approached Rena on the street earlier today.
Lynn sighed and warned the tenacious one.
“Get out of here.”
The man who had already been beaten grounded his teeth.
“Give me the woman.”
“What woman?”
“My woman that you took!”
“What nonsense.”
When Lynn clicked his tongue, the leader of the men gritted his teeth.
“Don’t regret it, you damn bastard.”
The man pulled out a dagger.
Lynn stepped back. However, the man did not chase after him. Instead, he made a cut in his palm using the tip of the dagger.
Lynn’s eyes widened in surprise at the unpredicted action.
‘Could it be…!’
Crimson blood dripped as Lynn yelled, and the terrible smell of sulfur spread along with it.
Shortly after, smoke began to bloom, and a shape rapidly grew in the midst of it.
Lynn became furious when he realized what had just transpired.
“You fool!”
However, the man merely sniggered. It was an oddly toned-up laugh that was done to hide fear.
An unknown being appeared amidst the ominous storm.
It trod on the ground with four legs. At a glance, it looked like the form of a crouching human, however, if one looked closer, it was indescribably bizarre, like a human head attached to a dog’s body.
“Guh!”
The smell of sulfur irritated Lynn and had him gritting his teeth.
The fool had opened the path to the tomb. In order to take back the woman, he had offered his blood to call upon the dead from the bottomless abyss.
Having grasped the situation, Lynn reached out for the sword on the wall.
At the same time, the dead that had just opened its eyes came upon him.
Khang!
There was not enough space to draw the sword, so he blocked it point-blank.
When the dead crushed the scabbard using his teeth, Lynn shook him off, then abandoned the sword altogether.
Taking the advantage of the time when the dead was pushed back, Lynn adjusted his posture. As the look in his eyes turned cold, the dead shrieked and grew even bigger, while the men cheered as spectators would.
At that moment.
“Please stop!”
The hem of pure white cloth rushed out to the middle of the room with a pitiful plea.
It was Rena.
“Move!”
Lynn yelled at Rena, who was standing in the way. However, Rena didn’t listen.
“Please stop fighting.”
At Rena’s plea, Lynn suddenly felt dizzy, and the men burst into laughter.
As the fallen growled, the bleeding man raised his hand and said joyfully.
“Lady, it’s good to be naïve, but you should take a look at the situation first. It’d be difficult for us if you ended up getting hurt.”
“You’re the one who is naïve.”
“What?”
“You should stop now at the very least. Your desire along with the violence are unforgivable.”
The man laughed at Rena’s warning as if hearing something absurd.
“Stupid bitch, so elated just because there’s someone on her side.”
As a matter of fact, the truth was about to be revealed.
“Shut up and get out of the way, lest you get beaten to death.”
The man was experiencing cruel impulse from the influence of opening the door to hell. Now that it was done, he only wanted to make the woman in front of him bloody.
“Rena, stop!”
Lynn shouted as the man started breathing roughly. He wanted to drag her back himself, but he couldn’t move because of the dead before him.
“I can’t let Mr. Lynn get hurt because of me.”
“This isn’t the time to worry about me–”
“I know! What if you both just die together!”
The man shouted impatiently, and simultaneously, the dead kicked off the floor.
“Rena!”
Lynn rushed ahead, but how could he be faster than the four-legged creature.
Eventually, the dead struck at Rena.
Pure white sleepwear fluttered and black drops of blood scattered in the air.
Feeling chilled with fear, Lynn desperately reached out to save Rena.
However, the sleepwear that was fluttering didn’t fall, but rose again flexibly and powerfully, like a blade of grass that sprang back from droplets of rain.
By contrast, something black was spilled. It was the severed head of the dead.
Lynn had caught the head in a daze and threw it back in surprise. Then he raised his head.
Rena Ruber was cleaning the blood off the dagger.
Basking in the moonlight, calmly and meticulously.
Lynn, along with the others, stayed still and stared at her.
Upon their pouring gazes, Rena said awkwardly.
“Everyone looks so surprised.”
Then she laughed and added.
“I’ve told you, you’re the naïve ones.”
Chapter 02 : The Daughter Returned from Hell
“Thank you for the food!”
The child maid shouted joyously in the shabby inn room.
Uni, the starving child, started eating before the young lady. Rena watched her for a moment before turning her head towards the figure at the side of the room.
“Thank you for taking care of us like this, Mr. Lynn.”
The one Rena greeted was the owner of this cramped room.
It was the young man who had helped Rena and Uni just a moment ago, Lynn. He was sitting cross-legged on the old sofa, watching the two with an awkward face.
“… I truly didn’t expect that you’d really follow me.”
”Yes?”
When Lynn implied that she was being absurd, Rena asked back in surprise.
“You told me to follow you if I have nowhere to go.”
“Even so, to just follow someone you don’t know…”
“We’ve mutually introduced ourselves…”
“You can’t know someone’s background when you’ve only known their name…”
The two’s expressions were baffled at the other’s belief, which was far from their own.
Just as Rena had said, Lynn had been the one who had told her to follow along. He couldn’t leave the girls who were almost kidnapped alone, and he couldn’t entrust them to the guards who didn’t do their job properly, moreover, it was getting dark, so he told them to come along.
Nevertheless, he was made bewildered by Rena, who had actually followed him. To top it all, he was currently staying at an inn, not a regular house.
Rena’s expression crumbled as if the sky was falling apart when Lynn made a look of uncertainty.
“If you’re asking me to leave again…”
”No, it’s not like that.”
As Rena was on the verge of tears, Lynn hurriedly waved his hand.
“I’m only saying that it was unexpected. Don’t feel uncomfortable.”
“You made it uncomfortable, then you say don’t feel uncomfortable.”
“Uni, shh.”
Although her babbles were restrained by her lady, Uni did not give in, but chewed the bread and glared at Lynn instead.
With logical reasoning, Lynn gave in tacitly and switched the subject.
“You said you’re the daughter of Marquis Ruber?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve never heard that the marquis had a daughter.”
Rena faltered and put the bread down as Lynn spoke like she just understood something. Then she laughed with a pained expression.
“That’s officially true, but the people who knew that the family also has a daughter will know.”
Lynn narrowed his eyebrows at Rena’s revelation.
‘Does that mean she’s an unofficial child that was born out of wedlock?’
Why did such a daughter appear at this time? Lynn thought it was strange, and asked.
“Then why are you by yourself? Did the marquis not send anybody?”
“That, Father doesn’t know that I’m coming.”
Rena’s answer left Lynn speechless.
A daughter who was not a normal daughter, but one that was born out of wedlock, was going to visit her father even though he didn’t call for her? And at this time?
Lynn was confused about whether he understood the whole situation correctly.
“The marquess didn’t tell you to come, but you’re still going to see him?”
“Yes.”
“Who gave you permission?”
“Permission?”
Rena blinked at the word permission. She didn’t know why she needed permission.
Thanks to that, Lynn was distressed. It was not known whether the miss of the marquess’ family in front of him was real or fake, but one thing was certain.
This young lady was naïve beyond measure.
It was obvious that if she went straight to the front door this way, she’ll get beaten. No, she’d be lucky if she was only beaten. The marquess might try to bury her, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Lynn felt unresolved and asked again.
“Do you know where the marquess is now?”
“He should be at the Imperial Palace, seeing that it will be Founding Day soon.”
“Then where are you going now?”
“To the Imperial Palace, of course.”
Lynn felt like fainting at Rena’s simple answer.
“… What do you think about going back home?”
“Huh?”
“Even if you’re doing well, I feel sorry for that kid.”
“Ah?”
Uni raised her head with a spoon in her mouth when she was brought into the conversation.
At her innocent look, Lynn spoke with resolve.
“I don’t know your circumstances, but the capital is far worse than here. Even if you manage to reach the Imperial Palace by luck, there’s no guarantee that the marquess will see you, and the Imperial Palace is… not a friendly place. The same thing could happen again there.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry too much. Have I not been doing well so far?”
“You mean trusting someone to lead you to a remote place?”
“Not like that, but I think it will be okay. No matter how evil the society is, there are more kindhearted people than bad people.”
“It’s even more dangerous if you’re the one asking for help.”
“Even more dangerous?”
“You’re too eye-catching.”
Rena tilted her head, with a face that showed that she was not aware of anything. So, Lynn contemplated for a moment, before saying straightforwardly.
“You’re pretty.”
“Ah…”
Rena’s cheeks blushed at the frank comment, but Lynn wasn’t trying to praise her beauty.
“Because of that, you’ll easily attract attention, become a target, and then sold at a high price.”
Lynn’s voice was still and quiet as before. However, Rena’s eyes shook at his bitter expression, especially when he said ‘sold at a high price’.
But then, Lynn spoke without hesitation.
“Some people will ask for payment in exchange for their assistance.”
He said ‘payment’ for assistance, but still, he thought he was being too hasty. He couldn’t say that they would want her body in exchange when a child was listening nearby.
However, Rena seemed to have understood it properly. Rena thought about it with a pale face, then looked at Lynn, and asked.
“Then, Mr. Lynn, are you going to ask me for payment?”
“No.”
Lynn firmly denied, but it was not enough. Rena was already scared.
‘’It has come to this.’
Lynn regretted it too late.
He was being inconsiderate. He was a stranger to the lady, but he couldn’t block his words and she had even followed him to the inn.
Lynn was about to deny but stopped himself.
She was already wary, it would be useless to deny it. Still, if left like this, it seemed like it would become uncomfortable for the whole night.
Lynn contemplated, then got up from the sofa.
Rena seemed to be surprised, but he approached her calmly and pretended not to notice. Then he untied the dagger from his waist and put it on the table where Rena was sitting.
“This is…?”
“A safety device.”
Rena’s eyes rounded at the unexpected words. Rena was staring at it when Lynn added.
“Use it when you need it.”
“… How?”
“If I get too close, stab me.”
Lynn answered clearly and sat back on the sofa.
In a moment of confusion, Rena kept switching her gaze to the dagger she had received and to Lynn, who was keeping his distance.
A smile gradually spread to the mouth of the nervous lady. Lynn felt relieved only after confirming that her fearful appearance had also faded.
Rena, who was laughing quietly, said softly.
“Mr. Lynn is the same.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Pretty.”
Lynn’s expression turned peculiar, but Rena did not give up.
“Mr. Lynn is also pretty.”
“How…”
Lynn’s words stopped short. Why did the word ‘pretty’ come out so abruptly?
Lynn looked at her as if witnessing something outrageous, however, Rena’s eyes were still as innocent as before.
‘By any chance, is she mentally slow?’
Lynn thought about it casually but was appalled all the same because his guess made too much sense. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be possible for a grown woman to be so naïve without knowing the world.
Lynn’s eyes shook from the grave hypothesis.
Rena, however, seemed to not know of Lynn’s thoughts and was completely unaware regarding her own circumstances, and only laughed instead.
.
.
.
It was already night by the time Rena and Uni finished eating.
As it got darker outside, Lynn shed off his cloak and said.
“I’ll sleep on the sofa, you guys sleep on the bed.”
“Won’t you feel uncomfortable?”
The voice filled with concern was heard, but Lynn did not look back.
It was because Rena was in white sleepwear.
It was a long-sleeved one, but Lynn felt uncomfortable looking at it. So, pretending not to notice, he dimmed the light and stretched out his feet on the sofa.
Rena and Uni also rustled into the bed as the room darkened.
After some time, Rena whispered in the dark.
“Mr. Lynn, are you asleep?”
Lynn didn’t answer, but Rena kept whispering.
“I’m really grateful for today.”
“… It’s all right.”
“I was a little surprised. This is the first time I’ve ever gotten help without having to pay in return.”
Lynn stopped himself from answering casually the moment he became aware of the cold weight behind Rena’s confession.
If this was your first time getting help without having to pay in return, then had you been helped at a cost so far?
“There were many people who approached me all the while thinking I was naïve, but those people were truly the naïve ones.”
The voice was composed.
When Lynn was silent, Rena changed her voice into a whisper.
“Moreover, Mr. Lynn, it’s dangerous to just help anyone like this.”
“It’s not the time to worry about me…”
“Mr. Lynn is a very pretty person.”
Rena smiled and whispered, and Lynn eventually burst into laughter.
As Lynn laughed, Rena asked in a gentler tone.
“What is Mr. Lynn doing?”
“Nothing special, just a bit of this and that.”
“It seems like you’ve been staying here for a while. Are you on your way to the capital?”
Rena’s guess was correct. It was not hard to reach this speculation as this city was the entrance to the capital.
Lynn didn’t answer but drew an implicit line instead.
“I’m telling you beforehand, I can’t bring you along.”
“Since you’re going to the capital… You don’t need to bring me along, we’re heading in the same direction anyway.”
It seemed like she was going to follow him on her own accord. Lynn forced down a wry smile with strong determination.
“I apologize, but I still have some business left to do here.”
“Business?”
“… It’s getting late. You must be tired. Let’s call it a day and go to sleep.”
Lynn was put in a somewhat awkward situation. Unable to reveal his identity, he stopped talking in a haste.
As the conversation ended, the night was once again quiet.
.
.
.
Deep into the night, Rena, who had fallen into a light sleep, opened her eyes to the sound of someone’s presence.
“Shh.”
A man was looking down at her. It was Lynn.
Rena looked at him, who had come closer in the dark, and asked quietly.
“Do I stab now?”
“… No.”
As Rena took the dagger beside her pillow, Lynn quickly denied it.
“Hide under the bed.”
As soon as Lynn spoke, a creaking sound came from the outside.
Sounds of footsteps on the hardwood outside the corridor were heard.
“Hurry.”
Lynn urged Rena and Uni, who was still asleep, to go under the bed.
Then, the door flung open abruptly.
“Where are you, you…!”
A shouting voice was heard and then cut off midway as soon as the sound of a blunt object hitting something echoed.
Clang-tang. Thunk. Crunch. Clatter.
Upon the opening door, Lynn charged at the people who were coming in at night.
“Stop it, you little bastard! Before you start a fire!”
The room suddenly became bright. It seemed like the lamp that had been hidden before must have been turned on in a hurry.
The identity of the evening guests revealed by the light was just as expected. They were the scoundrels who had approached Rena on the street earlier today.
Lynn sighed and warned the tenacious one.
“Get out of here.”
The man who had already been beaten grounded his teeth.
“Give me the woman.”
“What woman?”
“My woman that you took!”
“What nonsense.”
When Lynn clicked his tongue, the leader of the men gritted his teeth.
“Don’t regret it, you damn bastard.”
The man pulled out a dagger.
Lynn stepped back. However, the man did not chase after him. Instead, he made a cut in his palm using the tip of the dagger.
Lynn’s eyes widened in surprise at the unpredicted action.
‘Could it be…!’
Crimson blood dripped as Lynn yelled, and the terrible smell of sulfur spread along with it.
Shortly after, smoke began to bloom, and a shape rapidly grew in the midst of it.
Lynn became furious when he realized what had just transpired.
“You fool!”
However, the man merely sniggered. It was an oddly toned-up laugh that was done to hide fear.
An unknown being appeared amidst the ominous storm.
It trod on the ground with four legs. At a glance, it looked like the form of a crouching human, however, if one looked closer, it was indescribably bizarre, like a human head attached to a dog’s body.
“Guh!”
The smell of sulfur irritated Lynn and had him gritting his teeth.
The fool had opened the path to the tomb. In order to take back the woman, he had offered his blood to call upon the dead from the bottomless abyss.
Having grasped the situation, Lynn reached out for the sword on the wall.
At the same time, the dead that had just opened its eyes came upon him.
Khang!
There was not enough space to draw the sword, so he blocked it point-blank.
When the dead crushed the scabbard using his teeth, Lynn shook him off, then abandoned the sword altogether.
Taking the advantage of the time when the dead was pushed back, Lynn adjusted his posture. As the look in his eyes turned cold, the dead shrieked and grew even bigger, while the men cheered as spectators would.
At that moment.
“Please stop!”
The hem of pure white cloth rushed out to the middle of the room with a pitiful plea.
It was Rena.
“Move!”
Lynn yelled at Rena, who was standing in the way. However, Rena didn’t listen.
“Please stop fighting.”
At Rena’s plea, Lynn suddenly felt dizzy, and the men burst into laughter.
As the fallen growled, the bleeding man raised his hand and said joyfully.
“Lady, it’s good to be naïve, but you should take a look at the situation first. It’d be difficult for us if you ended up getting hurt.”
“You’re the one who is naïve.”
“What?”
“You should stop now at the very least. Your desire along with the violence are unforgivable.”
The man laughed at Rena’s warning as if hearing something absurd.
“Stupid bitch, so elated just because there’s someone on her side.”
As a matter of fact, the truth was about to be revealed.
“Shut up and get out of the way, lest you get beaten to death.”
The man was experiencing cruel impulse from the influence of opening the door to hell. Now that it was done, he only wanted to make the woman in front of him bloody.
“Rena, stop!”
Lynn shouted as the man started breathing roughly. He wanted to drag her back himself, but he couldn’t move because of the dead before him.
“I can’t let Mr. Lynn get hurt because of me.”
“This isn’t the time to worry about me–”
“I know! What if you both just die together!”
The man shouted impatiently, and simultaneously, the dead kicked off the floor.
“Rena!”
Lynn rushed ahead, but how could he be faster than the four-legged creature.
Eventually, the dead struck at Rena.
Pure white sleepwear fluttered and black drops of blood scattered in the air.
Feeling chilled with fear, Lynn desperately reached out to save Rena.
However, the sleepwear that was fluttering didn’t fall, but rose again flexibly and powerfully, like a blade of grass that sprang back from droplets of rain.
By contrast, something black was spilled. It was the severed head of the dead.
Lynn had caught the head in a daze and threw it back in surprise. Then he raised his head.
Rena Ruber was cleaning the blood off the dagger.
Basking in the moonlight, calmly and meticulously.
Lynn, along with the others, stayed still and stared at her.
Upon their pouring gazes, Rena said awkwardly.
“Everyone looks so surprised.”
Then she laughed and added.
“I’ve told you, you’re the naïve ones.”
